Yes, there is a time and a place for heading off grid, unplugging everything, and getting back to nature. But sometimes you need to take a few mod cons with you in order to facilitate an escape. The kids might be off school, but you’re a hard-working digital nomad, and your laptop needs power. Your ebike needs charging to get the most out of a weekend trip. That jetwash makes keeping the racers rolling a whole lot easier. Off grid can be overrated, but with the Bluetti AC180 you can take a bit of the grid with you, wherever you go.
It’s a 1152Wh ‘power centre’ – essentially a massive rechargeable battery pack that you can charge up and take to wherever you need power. Unlike the pocket sized battery pack you probably have for keeping your phone alive on plane journeys, this Bluetti AC180 holds enough charge to recharge your phone 103 times. Or your laptop 17 times. But it’s not all about staying connected to work and the world. You could also charge a full sized EMTB with 720Wh battery once with plenty to spare. Basically, you can run anything you can plug into it, as long as the load doesn’t exceed 1,800W – even many heating appliances will work off this thanks to the ‘powerlifting’ mode which raises the output capacity up to 2,700W. Though you shouldn’t run an air conditioning unit or washing machine off one – though when was the last time you took either of them on a camping trip?!
There are so many outlets on this thing that you should have no problem plugging in anything that catches your imagination:
Bluetti AC180 Outlets
- 4 x USB A
- 1 x USB C
- 2 x 3-pin 230V
- 1 x 12V DC
As for charging it up in the first place, you have options here too. In under two hours, you could charge it up at home just by plugging it into the wall with the supplied 3-pin plug. If you’re not that organised – or you’re looking to top up the charge as you drive between stop offs – you can use the supplied 12V plug to charge from your car’s cigarette lighter port (How long before we stop calling them that? Do our kids even know that there used to be a special cigarette lighting facility in every car?!).
Bluetti AC180 Inputs
- AC240V/mains
- 12V DC/Car cigarette charger
- Solar panel
- Generator
If you want, you can also pair the AC180 up with a solar panel to charge it up to 500W. Bluetti offers a range of different panels to suit your demands – just topping up during the course of the day, or a faster solar charge of under four hours.
Bluetti AC180 Key Data
- 340mmｘ247mmｘ317mm (LxWxH)
- Weight approx 16kg
- IP65 rated water and dust resistant
- LiFePO₄ battery cells
- 5 year warranty
- 3500+ charging cycles
- 10 year lifespan
- RRP £1,099
Stay In Control
You can keep an eye on how much charge you’ve got left – or how much longer it will take you to charge the AC180 back up – with the Bluetti App. Or, there’s a clear display on the power centre so you can see what’s coming in and going out.
How would you use yours?
Not everyone can have a ‘van life’ adventure wagon all kitted out with a leisure battery – but with the AC180 you could put the battery in there when you need it and still run those camping comforts. A kettle, perhaps, for that morning coffee without all the stove faff? Keep you cool box running in the heat of summer, even after you’ve made it to your destination? Recharge your drivetrain or dropper post batteries, saving you from frustration?
Perhaps your applications are more practical – a means to charge your ebikes without bringing them into the house? Especially with the increase in non-removable batteries on ebikes, this could be a nice simple solution to bringing power to your shed – and keeping muddy bikes off the hallway carpet. You could even use it to capitalise on a cheap overnight energy tariff.
The opportunities are many – and if you don’t think you need quite so much portable power as the AC180 offers you, be sure to check out the other options in the range.
